How climate change is impacting champagne production

A champagne harvest is the annual period when grapes are collected in the Champagne region of France to produce the world-renowned sparkling wine. Recent record-breaking summer temperatures have forced this harvest to begin significantly earlier, threatening the delicate balance of acidity and sugar that defines the product’s signature flavor profile.

According to data from the Comité Champagne, the official trade organization for the region, harvesting windows have shifted by nearly two weeks compared to historical norms. Before the early 2000s, picking typically occurred in September or October. Today, it frequently begins in mid-August (CNBC, 2026).

Why is the champagne harvest starting earlier?

The primary driver of the earlier harvest is the acceleration of the grape-ripening process caused by hotter spring and summer temperatures. As the climate warms, grapes accumulate sugar more rapidly. For winemakers, this creates a narrow window for harvesting because they must pick the fruit before sugar levels become too high, which would compromise the wine's characteristic freshness and low-alcohol structure.